Erik The Black's Backpacking Blog

Looking for a new lightweight backpacking tent or shelter? Here is a list of every backpacking shelter I could find (120+ so far) that weighs under 3 pounds, including: tents, tarptents, tarps, hammocks and bivys…

Planning a long hike and need some meal ideas? Here are five of my favorite backpacking dinner recipes for thru-hiking and overnight backpacking trips…

Planning a long hike and looking for the right backpack? Here are five lightweight backpacks that are ideal for long-distance backpacking and thru-hiking…

Here are 7 more backpacking foods that are lightweight, non-perishable and provide a high calorie-to-weight ratio, making them ideal for ultralight backpacking.

A game of chess is fun after a long day of hiking, but even travel chess sets are too heavy for lightweight backpacking. Here’s how you can make an “Ultralight Trail Chess Set” that weighs less than an ounce…

Last week I posted an article with some tips for thru-hikers. Here is Part 2 of that series, with more information about footcare, diet, gear weight, managing finances, staying positive and not quitting…

A pot cozy is an essential part of the ultralight backpacker’s kitchen. This simple DIY project can help you to conserve cooking fuel, simplify and automate your trail cooking (and cleaning) and provide a convenient carrying case for your cook pot and accessories.

One way to reduce your pack weight is to get rid of unnecessary gear. The other way is to replace essential gear items with lightweight alternatives. Here are five gear items you can replace to reduce your pack weight…

Here are 10 backpacking foods you can find in stores everywhere that provide more than 100 calories per ounce, making them ideal for ultralight backpacking.

Backpackers spend a lot of time, money and effort trimming ounces from their backpacking gear in the quest to lighten their load. But, in my opinion a lot of the time it’s wasted effort. If you want to significantly reduce your pack weight concentrate on these three items…

Here is the new version of my Free Backpacking Gear Planner Spreadsheet. This tool helps you quickly and easily design a backpacking gear list in just minutes.

I’ve used this clothing system in daytime temps ranging from 110 degrees down to 15 degrees including freezing cold rain and snow – and it weighs just 2 lbs!